All
it had taken was an unlocked door. That door which led to such an
exorbitant price to pay. A price that required far more than she was
willing to give. A cost that was equivalent to losing herself.

In
her defense, she never thought it was a possibility. Living in a
house where you are guarded 24/7 by highly-trained dogs and agents,
granted top security because your father just happens to a
billionaire, can
make one
lax. Besides, it was a rule that there were not to be any locked
doors, because that would mean you were shunning the rest of your
family. Locked doors in tenuous situations. Unlocked doors when
you're open-minded. They all knew each other and trusted each
other, so why bother?

That
rule had been a glaring mistake, right from the start.

It
had set off this explosive chain of events. It had turned her world
upside down.

She
knew she was not dreaming at the creak of the door and the muted
curse of someone. She knew she was not delusional when she'd sat up
and been hit in the chest.

That
gun had a silencer. Her vocal chords could not scream.

Red
and black. Black and red. Red for the blood that spilled that night.
Black for the darkness that took her in.